Faith and Spiritual Life

At Mary Baldwin, you’ll find a place where you have the time and resources to explore your spiritual journey alongside your academics. Here, you can integrate various aspects of your life, including spirituality, personal commitments, and relationships with family and friends. 

Your college experience is more than just preparing for a job. It’s a laboratory for learning about life. We invite you to join us as we navigate through the challenges and discoveries of each day.

“We, the community of Mary Baldwin University, strive to celebrate humanity in all its wondrous and complex variation. Because we value diversity, it is our mission to sustain a community where all may flourish. We are safe to embrace our shared experiences and our differences. To this end, we treat all with respect and compassion.”

PLEDGE OF INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY AT MARY BALDWIN UNIVERSITY

Discovering Your Spiritual Path at Mary Baldwin

Discovering Your Spiritual Path at Mary Baldwin

Mary Baldwin University offers numerous opportunities for you to explore the spiritual dimension of life. You can find what you’re looking for here or even start your own group. Here are some of the options available:

  1. Anointed Voices of Praise (AVP): Join Mary Baldwin’s student-directed music ministry focusing on traditional and contemporary gospel music. 
  2. Baldwin Christian Ministries (BCM): Connect with interdenominational Christian students through prayer, Bible study, and community service.
  3. Greater Things Dance Ministry: Engage in a student-led liturgical dance ministry that promotes spiritual growth through movement. The choreography embraces African American dance expression. 
  4. The Quest Program: Embark on a journey of spiritual exploration, intellectual growth, and community service. This program offers a path of guided study for students of all religions to explore, celebrate, and learn from their differences.

Academic Programs and Scholarships

Academic Programs and Scholarships

Mary Baldwin University offers academic programs and scholarships related to religious studies and ministry:

  • Religious leadership and ministry minor
  • Religious studies minor
  • Pre-Ministry Carpenter Awards: These awards, totaling $2,500 each, are given annually to students who demonstrate a commitment to a post-graduate career or lifelong avocation in ministry. Scholarship winners are selected based on merit and financial need. To express interest or learn more, contact Rev. Katherine Low, MBU chaplain.

Meet the Chaplain

Meet the Chaplain

Rev. Katherine Low, our chaplain, joined Mary Baldwin University in 2011. She brings extensive experience in campus ministry, religious studies, and interfaith collaboration. Her role is to support various religious traditions and spiritual expressions on campus, fostering deeper discussions, collaboration among faith communities, and opportunities for academic pursuits and personal growth. 

If you have any questions or want to connect, please contact  Rev. Low at 540-887-7044, klow@marybaldwin.edu. Her office is located in Room 107 of Carpenter Academic.

Sacred Spaces at Mary Baldwin

Sacred Spaces at Mary Baldwin

There are several sacred spaces available on campus to support your spiritual needs:

  • Miller Chapel: Located on the main campus in Staunton, VA, Miller Chapel provides space for meetings, events, and various forms of worship.
  • Chaplain’s Office Lounge: Room 107 of Carpenter Academic houses the chaplain’s office, which includes a lounge for student meetings, pastoral care, spiritual discernment conversations, studying, or relaxation.
  • Local Religious Groups: Outside the chaplain’s office, students can access a bulletin board and table of information about local religious communities and events of interest. The chaplain’s office also sponsors a Fall Faith Fair during the opening weeks of classes for local groups to share information on campus.

The Quest Program and the Carpenter Society 

The Quest Program and the Carpenter Society

Quest is a journey that explores who you want to be and how you want to live your life. It brings together people from diverse backgrounds and faiths in our welcoming and respectful Interfaith Village.

In Quest, you’ll have the opportunity to delve into your own faith tradition, engage in academic coursework, contribute to community service, and participate in group activities. By completing all program requirements, you’ll become part of the esteemed Carpenter Society.

We welcome students of all faiths to join Quest. Our participants come from various religious backgrounds, including Jews, Muslims, Baha’i, Jains, Sikhs, Hindus, Unitarians, Buddhists, Christians of different denominations, and even those who are still seeking their spiritual path. Quest is open to students from all majors and backgrounds. 

A participant’s perspective:

“QUEST is all about questioning and respecting the different answers that each person in the group discovers. Often, we aren’t encouraged to truly take ownership of our religious faith. But in QUEST, I have found a space unlike any other, where I’m able to seek answers that resonate with me.”

Once you’ve completed all the requirements of Quest, you’ll be invited to join the Carpenter Society. This honorary society, named in honor of philanthropist Leona B. Carpenter, recognizes your achievements and growth throughout your junior or senior year.

The induction ceremony into the Carpenter Society is a special occasion where you can celebrate your accomplishments alongside your friends, family, and faculty members.

Find your level-up at MBU.
Connect with an Admissions Counselor.